Tuning device



, May 30,1933.

M. R. DEL soNNo TUNING DEVICE Filed Dec.. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l l l* l l l' o 4 NVENTOR WITNEssEs Ma/2de, f, z/@Zozmo ATTORNEY M. R. DEL soNNo 4 1,912,263

May 30, 1933.

TUNING DEVICE I Filed nec. 16, 1929 2 sheets-snm 2 Y /v V 3X. 53 l ff i .v 3f Z7 7.9

Z e5 fz l50 M 5a Z4 /X 43%?) s {l/4U WITNESSES l ATTORNEY Patented May 30, 1933 PATENT OFFICE n MICHAEL R. DEIl SONNO, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

Y .TUNING Y DEVICE Application led December 16, 1929. Serial No. 414,520. l

This invention relates to tuning devices: It is among the objects of the present 1nvention to provide a novel and improved tuning device for radio receiving apparatus or the like, which includes novel means for indicating the position of the condenser or equivalent tuning unit, together with means for signaling when the tuning device is set to vreceive signals from a predetermined station. A further object of the present invention is to provide a tuning device including a plurality of indicia having associated therewith illuminating means whereby movement of the tuning device will illuminate a selected 1n- 5 dicia upon movement of the tuning apparatus to receive a predetermined signal corresponding with the indicia illuminated.

A further obj ect of the present invention is to provide in a tuning device, means for in-` o dicating the frequency or wave length received without moving a calibrated dial. I In the present instance the dial remains stationary and meansare providedv for causing a shadow of the pointer of the dialto indicate 5 the setting of the receiving apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a device of the character described, novel construction, whereby 'the selected illumination of the 'indicia in response to movement of the tuning apparatus, may be readily adjusted to suit various characteristics of the apparatus.

Other objects of he present invention include thevnovel and improved combination and interrelation of parts whereby the whole forms a novel, simple and improved structure well ada ted to meet the demands of economic manu acture.

'Further ob'ects andl features of the present invention wil be apparent-from a consideration ofthe following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which 'i Figure 1 is a front elevation ofla. radio receiving cabinet embodying one form of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the the name plate removed- Fig. 3 a` longitudinal section through the cabinet i ustrated in Fig. 1, and

`cabinet with Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the wiring diagram used in connection with the form of the invention herein disclosed.

Referring moreparticularlyto Fig. 1 of the drawings, it Will be seen that the invention is disclosed in combination with a conventional radio receiving cabinet, which is generally indicated by the numeral 10. The central portion of the cabinet 10 is provided with a suitably designed area 11, adapted for thepositioning of the tuning apparatus. In the form of the invention here shown, the area 11 is of round-top design with a straight bottom. Adjacent the edge of the area 11, there is provided a plurality of indicia 12, which are mounted Within the control panel of the area 11, as indicated at 13 in Fig. 3. The indicia, as indicated in F ig. 3, are preferably formed upon suitable translucent or transparent members 14, which are secured in apertures of the panel 13, by the co-operationof an externally-threaded internal bushing"15 and a co-operating internally-threaded external bushing 16. Associated with the bushing 16 in a suitable manner, there is provided an illuminating lamp' 17, the energization of which is adapted to be controlled with movement ofthe tuning unit, as will be hereinafter described. The indicia 12 are ar- .ranged in substantially semi-circular form radiating from the tuning unit control knob 18, which is arranged with the extending end of a control shaft 19.

Directly over the knob 18 in semi-circular formation, there is provided an arcuate aperture 20 in the panel 13. Suitably mounted in conjunction with the aperture l2O, preferably on the inside of the panel and secured thereto by screws 21, there is provided a'stationary calibrated translucent or transparent arcuate plate 22, the calibrations of which, as indicated in Fig. 2, are preferably inthe form of frequency or vwave length calibrations, the'arrangement being such that the face of the plate 22 will indicate the wave length or frequency setting of the ltuning unit. f

As seen in Fig. 3, associated with the shaft 19, there is provided an arm 24 carried thereby forrotation therewitlmv The arm 24 is fino of the lamp 25, the arrangement being such that when the lamp 25 is illuminated by suit` able elect-rical association with the receiving circuit, a shadow is cast by the arm 26 upon the plate 22. Thus as the arm moves with the tuning shaft 19, the shadow will move across the plate to indicate the setting of the tuning unit. By this construction, it will be seen that the calibrated dial or plate 22 remains stationary while the lamp and arm move in unison behind the dial to provide for the indication on the dial of the settingof the tuning unit.

For controlling the selected energization of the lamps 17 to illuminate the members 14, the arm 24 is provided with an extending contact arm 46, the upper extremity of which is provided with a contact element 27, and the panel 13 is provided with an arcuate aperture 28, within which a contact support 29 is provided, surrounding which movable contact elements 30 are provided, one element 30 being provided forv `each of the illuminating means 17. As shown in Figure 2, the width of the contact elements 30 is preferably varied in a proper sequence so as to be in conformation with the sharpness of tuning of the tuning unit. Thus if the tuning is very broad, the contact elements will be broad so that the indicia is illuminated over a relatively large movement of the support 19. If, however, the tuning is particularly sharp, the contact elements 30 are relatively narrow, and thus the indicia illuminated is only at the precise point at which the circuit is tuned to the station indicated thereby.

As seen in Fig. 3, the elements 30 are se- Y cured to the member 29 by the tightening of securing screws 31, the arrangement being such that the screws 3l may be loosened and the contact members 30 moved over their arcuate support 29, so that the energization of the associated lamp 17 is response to predetermined movement o the support 19 may be adjusted. For providing for ease of adjustment of the position of the contact members 30, the panel 13 is provided with a removable cover 32 secured to the panel, as by means ot screws 33, the cover extending over the arcuate aperture 28, so thata removal of the cover will renderA the adjustment of the contacts readily accessible.

.Tin the preferred design of cabinet using the present invention, asy shown in Fig. 1, the cover 32 is particularly adapted to be used as a name-plate for the receiving device, it being understood that the cover may be provided j with any desired ornamentation to conform with the ornamental eiect of the cabinet.V

By referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the arm. 26 is electrically associated by a con ductor 35, with one side of a transformer or equivalent source of potential, indicated at 36. The opposite side of the source of potential is connected by a wire 37, which acts as a general conductor for all of the lamps 17. The opposite sides of the lamps are connected by conductors 38 to their respective contact members 30, as diagrammatically illustrated in this figure of the drawings. The arrangement is obviously such that as the arm 24 moves with the contact support 19, the arm 26 and the contact 27 will move therewith, the contact passing over the con,- tact elements 30, so that upon tuning of the device to a predetermined station, the contact 27 will become electrically associated with the selected element 30, and thus the lamp 17 over which the indicia corresponding to that station are positioned, will be illuminated. It will further be seen that by removing the plate 32, the screws 31 may be loosened and the elements 30 moved over their arcuate support to vary the adjustment and thus to select the predetermined illumination of the lamps.

In some instances it may be desirable to provide for the simultaneous illumination of all the indicia 12. This is particularly desirable vin connection with the display of the apparatus. For providing for simultaneous illumination of the indicia 12 by their associated lamps 17, a contacting band 40 of arcuate configuration is mounted within the panel and secured as at 43. .The opposite end of the strip 40 is provided with an operatingVV knob 41, which passes through a slot 42 in the panel, the arrangement being such that when the knob 41 is moved downwardly, in its slot, the strip moves out of its recess in the panel 13, to engage the upper connected ends of all the contact members. The strip 40 is associated by a conductor 44, with the conductor'45, thus upon contact thereof with the members 30, all the lamps 17 will be simultaneously energized.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the present invention provides a novel and improved tuning device, which includes with improved means for indicating on a calibrated plate the position of the tuning apparatus, means for illuminating suitable indicia in response to the predetermined movement of the tuning shaft. It will be understood that the present invention islnot specifically conned to the definite structure of details herein presented, but that numerous changes, modifications, and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to in the formation of the invention without departure from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. 1n a radio tuning device, a plurality of station indicators, an electric lamp for illuminating each of said indicators, a stationary Contact for each of said lamps, a

movable tuning member, and a contact mem- 'ber movable with said tuning member for selectively engaging saidcontacts the stationary contacts having a width corresponding to the sharpness of tuning adjustment of said tuning member. v

2. In a radio receiving' apparatus, a panel, a plurality of translucent station indicators opening through said panel, an electric lamp for illuminating each of said indicators from the rear of said panel, a tuning member movably mounted in said panel, a support mounted on the rear side of said panel, a plurality of contacts adjustably mounted in spaced relation on Asaid support, one in electrical connection with each of said lamps, a contact arm movable with said tuning member for selectively engaging said contacts, said panel having an opening in line with said support, and a removable closure for the said opening whereby the contacts will be accessible for adjustment through the latter when said closure is removed.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the said tuning member is constituted in a rotatable shaft, and the said support is arcuate in form to extend about said shaft to position the said contacts in proper cooperative relation'to the said contact arm.

4. In a radioreceiving apparatus, a plurality of electric lamp station indicators, a movable tuning member, a plurality of spaced contacts at one side of said movable member, one in electrical connection with each of said lamps, a contact arm movable with said member for selective engagement with saidfcontacts to illuminate any oneof said lamps, anda contact member common to all of said contacts and adapted to be moved into direct engagement therewith for the simultaneous illumination of all of said lamps.

5. In a radio tuning device, a panel of an opaque -material having a plurality of apertures therethrough disposed in an arched arrangement, translucent members mounted in said apertures and each bearing a broadcasting station designation, a lamp mounted at the rear of said panel one in line with each of the translucent members, contactsl at the rear of said panel and s aced in semicircular arrangement within t e area defined by the arched arrangement of the said apertures, said contacts being in electrical connection with said lamps respectively and a source of current supply, a tuning device 'having its shaft end rotatably journalled through said panel, and a contact arm carried by the tuning device shaft for wiping engagement with said contacts during the operative movements of the shaft.

6. In a radio receiving apparatus, a plurality of translucent indlcia, a plurality of lamps disposed at the rear of the translucent indicia respectively, a support, a. plurality of contact elements mounted on the support tuning member for selectively engaging said t contact elements, and means for directly connecting the several contact elements with each other for lighting all the lamps at the same time.

MICHAEL R. DEL SONNO. 

